Doctors at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, successfully performed India’s first robot-assisted splenorenal bypass surgery on a 67-year-old woman suffering from severe renal artery stenosis and uncontrolled high blood pressure. The patient, who had only one functioning kidney after having her right kidney removed earlier, was treated through a highly complex robotic vascular procedure that helped restore blood flow to the remaining kidney while preserving its function.
The patient, Mrs Lata Saxena, resident of Lucknow, had been experiencing persistently elevated blood pressure for 12 months, despite being on three anti-hypertensive medications. Seeking expert medical care, she visited Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket. Upon detailed evaluation, doctors identified significant narrowing in the artery supplying blood to her left kidney, a condition known as renal artery stenosis, which was responsible for the uncontrolled hypertension. Since her left kidney was her only functioning kidney, the case required an extremely careful and high-risk approach to avoid compromising kidney function.
After a comprehensive assessment, the clinical team decided to perform a splenorenal bypass surgery, a procedure in which the splenic artery (artery supplying the spleen) is connected to the renal artery to bypass the blocked segment and restore blood supply to the kidney. While this surgery has been performed conventionally in the past, this marked the first time globally that the procedure was carried out using robotic-assisted technology. The minimally invasive robotic approach enabled precise vascular reconstruction (reconstruction of blood vessels) with enhanced surgical control. Following surgery, the patient recovered well, was mobilised the next day, and showed significant improvement in blood pressure control. A post-operative renal scan further confirmed healthy blood flow to the kidney.
Commenting on the case, Dr. Anant Kumar, Chairman – Urology, Renal Transplant, Robotics & Uro-Oncology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, said, “Renal artery stenosis can become particularly challenging when it affects the only functioning kidney, as prolonged reduction in blood supply may lead to irreversible kidney damage and severe uncontrolled hypertension. In such complex cases, preserving kidney function while ensuring durable restoration of blood flow is critical. Robotic-assisted surgery allowed us to perform this highly delicate vascular bypass with greater precision and minimal invasiveness. The patient’s smooth recovery and early improvement in blood pressure highlight the potential of robotic technology in managing even the most complex vascular-urological conditions.”
This case highlights Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket's advanced expertise in robotic and complex reconstructive urological procedures, supported by multidisciplinary clinical care and cutting-edge surgical technology.